ACTING SERGEANT JOHN RENNIE, G.C. 1919-1943
Title
ACTING SERGEANT JOHN RENNIE, G.C. 1919-1943
Description
“Jock” Rennie was awarded the George Cross posthumously in May 1944 for an instinctive, selfless act of heroism. Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, he came to Ontario with his family as a child and grew up in Kitchener. Rennie enlisted in The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise’s) at Hamilton in July 1940, and went overseas with them to England in the summer of 1943. On October 29, 1943, he was supervising a grenade-throwing exercise near Riddlesworth when a live grenade fell back into the trench. Rennie pushed one of his men aside and tried to throw the grenade clear. At that moment it exploded. His body shielded others from harm, but he died of his injuries.
Ontario Heritage Foundation, Ministry of Culture and Communications
Ontario Heritage Foundation, Ministry of Culture and Communications
Creator
Sarah J. McCabe
Date
May 23, 2022
Files
Collection
Citation
Sarah J. McCabe, “ACTING SERGEANT JOHN RENNIE, G.C. 1919-1943,” Historic Plaques of Ontario: An Omeka Demo Site, accessed May 7, 2024, https://ontarioplaques.omeka.net/items/show/587.